She awoke in a sweat; she'd only been out for a couple of hours. That was long enough for her, in this line of work. She'd have to report back soon. The King was not a patient man. She tugged on her boots, secured them; and headed out. The hallways were dead quiet, the candles were blown out and all the patrons gone. She pulled the door slightly closed and headed down the stairs to the tavern floor. Through the window, the moon casts its gaze on the wooden floor; lighting her way. She stopped at the barkeep's table and left the money for the drink she had. He could not say no this time.
She slipped over to the door and opened the creaky tavern door; hoping not to wake anyone in the town. Her footfalls were light; barely making any sounds across the porch. She hugged closer to herself as the cold autumn wind blew. She remembered this wind, it was the same wind that swept the fire to her parents home; burning it to the ground with them asleep inside. The only family she had and the only memories Celeste would never be able to recover.
Gone.
She snapped to attention. She heard noises coming around the corner, the lights of the lanterns flickered onto the walls of the town's buildings and the sound of hooves clicking on the cobblestone reassured her that it was a carriage; whose occupants she was unsure. The carriage was black and longer than a normal carriage; the crown prince's insignia beautifully painted on the side. What was the crown prince doing here at this time of the night?
The carriage stopped in front of her and without passing her a single glance the driver spoke. "Assassin." he spat; like the word was venomous. The door opened, a girl stepped out with a parchment in her hand. She recognized this girl to be Sophie, the royal family advisor's daughter. Long, curly blonde hair, carefully place in a ponytail and accented with a pink bow.
Sophie bowed and extended the parchment to Celeste. Celeste eyed the parchment, then eyed the abyss of the cab. Celeste then took the paper when Sophie spoke. "Meet where the Sun and Moon dance." She whispered stepping back into the carriage and disappearing into the night. Celeste's eyes widen, not out of fear, but out of terror. There was only one person that knew that place and knew exactly what it was called.
As dawn was closing in; Celeste found herself wondering in the dangerous part of the forest. She stopped and studied the ground. Hoof marks were not fresh; If she was right they were about a several hours old. This part of the forest was miles away from any main travel route. Who would bring an animal out this far, If not to sacrifice it to the wolves or the bears? She wandered on, not having a good sense of direction, she continued to follow the hoof prints until the stopped.
The sun shined through the trees in a serene glow, banishing the dark creatures back to there hiding places for another day. She could see the birds fly overhead, singing their songs as they flew. Deer coming out of the background, peaking to see if the night had receded. Celeste walked through the thicket to see if maybe the animal was around. "It is unwise for a young lady of your stature to be walking around unarmed." the voice whispered behind her, freezing her in her tracks. "Meet where the Sun and Moon dance, undisturbed by the cosmos," she whispered. She knew it was him. She turned on the balls of her feet to see nothing. He chuckled, leaned up against the tree. She huffed and crossed her arms. "Now, now don't get all puffy on me now Celeste," he said; running his hand through his crimson hair.
She wanted to yell at him but quickly calmed her temper. "Did you read it?" he asked. She nodded yes. "Did you kill him?" he questioned again. She looked away and rubbed her shoulder. "No." she whispered to the wind. The sound of her heart pounded in her ears; She'd only failed once before this, that mistake cost her the lives of her family. He sighed. "Celeste, tell me you are joking," he said getting closer. She shook head no and in a blur, her back was against a tree and she could not breathe.
She clawed at his jeweled hand, his face in full fury as he whispered. "I contracted you to murder him and make it look like an accident and you go and catch feelings for him. I should have known better than to send a half-brained female to do the job. I will not have my bastard half-brother taking my crown. Do you hear me?" he spoke in anger tightening his grip just a little more. "You either kill him or I'll do it myself," he said throwing her to the ground and leaned down to her ear. "And If I hear you mention my name to my father. I will have you hunted...Remember that." He spat in her face and walked into the dark of the forest.
She slipped over to the door and opened the creaky tavern door; hoping not to wake anyone in the town. Her footfalls were light; barely making any sounds across the porch. She hugged closer to herself as the cold autumn wind blew. She remembered this wind, it was the same wind that swept the fire to her parents home; burning it to the ground with them asleep inside. The only family she had and the only memories Celeste would never be able to recover.
Gone.
She snapped to attention. She heard noises coming around the corner, the lights of the lanterns flickered onto the walls of the town's buildings and the sound of hooves clicking on the cobblestone reassured her that it was a carriage; whose occupants she was unsure. The carriage was black and longer than a normal carriage; the crown prince's insignia beautifully painted on the side. What was the crown prince doing here at this time of the night?
The carriage stopped in front of her and without passing her a single glance the driver spoke. "Assassin." he spat; like the word was venomous. The door opened, a girl stepped out with a parchment in her hand. She recognized this girl to be Sophie, the royal family advisor's daughter. Long, curly blonde hair, carefully place in a ponytail and accented with a pink bow.
Sophie bowed and extended the parchment to Celeste. Celeste eyed the parchment, then eyed the abyss of the cab. Celeste then took the paper when Sophie spoke. "Meet where the Sun and Moon dance." She whispered stepping back into the carriage and disappearing into the night. Celeste's eyes widen, not out of fear, but out of terror. There was only one person that knew that place and knew exactly what it was called.
As dawn was closing in; Celeste found herself wondering in the dangerous part of the forest. She stopped and studied the ground. Hoof marks were not fresh; If she was right they were about a several hours old. This part of the forest was miles away from any main travel route. Who would bring an animal out this far, If not to sacrifice it to the wolves or the bears? She wandered on, not having a good sense of direction, she continued to follow the hoof prints until the stopped.
The sun shined through the trees in a serene glow, banishing the dark creatures back to there hiding places for another day. She could see the birds fly overhead, singing their songs as they flew. Deer coming out of the background, peaking to see if the night had receded. Celeste walked through the thicket to see if maybe the animal was around. "It is unwise for a young lady of your stature to be walking around unarmed." the voice whispered behind her, freezing her in her tracks. "Meet where the Sun and Moon dance, undisturbed by the cosmos," she whispered. She knew it was him. She turned on the balls of her feet to see nothing. He chuckled, leaned up against the tree. She huffed and crossed her arms. "Now, now don't get all puffy on me now Celeste," he said; running his hand through his crimson hair.
She wanted to yell at him but quickly calmed her temper. "Did you read it?" he asked. She nodded yes. "Did you kill him?" he questioned again. She looked away and rubbed her shoulder. "No." she whispered to the wind. The sound of her heart pounded in her ears; She'd only failed once before this, that mistake cost her the lives of her family. He sighed. "Celeste, tell me you are joking," he said getting closer. She shook head no and in a blur, her back was against a tree and she could not breathe.
She clawed at his jeweled hand, his face in full fury as he whispered. "I contracted you to murder him and make it look like an accident and you go and catch feelings for him. I should have known better than to send a half-brained female to do the job. I will not have my bastard half-brother taking my crown. Do you hear me?" he spoke in anger tightening his grip just a little more. "You either kill him or I'll do it myself," he said throwing her to the ground and leaned down to her ear. "And If I hear you mention my name to my father. I will have you hunted...Remember that." He spat in her face and walked into the dark of the forest.
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